Lord Janner Could be Tried in Absentia, Maybe

Precedent for a Trial of Perpetrator of Child Sexual Abuse who had Dimentia

by cathyfox

HT to Dan for finding this article which can also be found at Western Morning News [1] under the following slightly inaccurate headline.

Lord Greville Janner

Man found guilty of abusing six under-age girls

Posted : May 15, 2010

A DEVON man has been found guilty of abusing six under-age girls in a trial held in his absence at Exeter Crown Court.

Jurors yesterday unanimously found that Michael Collingwood, now 69, of Tedburn St Mary, near Exeter, committed 23 sex offences, including raping one girl.

Judge Paul Darlow instructed the jury to formally enter not guilty pleas to the other six sex offence allegations.

Jurors heard the trial in Collingwood's absence after being told he suffers from severe dementia.

So, it may be possible to try Lord Janner on historical child rape charges after all. I wonder how CPS is going to spin this?

For the rest of the article and links to the original Western Morning News article please visit Cathy Fox